The Purple Nose Reaction
by covetingaremedy
Summary: A continuation from 6x09, but Penny visits Leonard for comfort after Amy breaks her nose.


"Penny, I'm really sorry." Amy looked apologetically across at Penny as she hobbled up the stairs.

"Amy, I meant every word about that threat I made earlier about your lady parts, so keeping walking"

Amy nodded anxiously and knocked on Leonard's apartment door.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to stay with you?"

Penny glared at her, "No, go home, or change your damn coffee can of change at the bank."

Mouthing a final apology, Amy limped down the stairs, just as Leonard opened the door. Without looking up from his book, he started talking."For God's sake, Sheldon, you only left the apartment five minutes ago. Have you already pissed off Koothrappali so much that refused to drive you again?"

At the absence of an indignant Dr Whack-A-Doodle soliloquy, he looked up to see Penny standing in front of him.

"Hey."

"Hey," she replied sadly, clutching her face.

"Penny, are you ok?" He led her by the hand to his couch and sat next to her.

"My nose really hurts,"she mumbled thickly.

He smiled sympathetically,"I'm sure it does, what happened?"

"Amy went to hit Bernadette and missed. I got a coffee can of change in the face, and now my nose is probably in the back of my head." She paused and touched her face, a panicked expression on her face. "Oh my god, what if I look like Voldermort?"

Leonard slid his arm around her shoulder. "You don't look like Voldermort, but I'm sure you would look just as beautiful if you did."

Penny rested her head against his chest. "Promise?"

"I promise."

They sat like that for a moment and Leonard kissed her forehead. Leaning back, he gently brushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"To paraphrase Crazy Cooper, social convention dictates I bring you a hot beverage. Would you like a drink, and maybe some aspirin?"

Before Penny managed to answer him, she lurched forward, clutching her nose, blood seeping over her fingers. She pulled a face at her bloody hand and looked at him helplessly.

"Don't panic, just a little nosebleed."

"You wouldn't be saying 'little' if you had an ocean gushing out of your face," she mumbled indignantly.

Leonard placed his thumb underneath her chin and tilted her head back against the couch. "Now, pinch your nose,"he instructed, "and I'll be back in a second."

When he returned, Penny saw him carrying a small bowl with a label stuck to the bottom and a handful of cotton wool.

"What's on the label?" she asked.

"It says 'For Medicinal Purposes', I didn't want to lose my TV privileges by using the wrong bowl."

She sat forward and gingerly pulled her hand away from her face, allowing him to see. He began to very carefully dab her nose, which had started to bruise a lavender tinge. Penny sat very still while he cleaned the blood off her face, watching his careful and kind eyes intently.

He moved underneath her eye and she winced and pulled back. Leonard drew his hand away sharply, "Sorry."

She shook her head, "It's okay, it just stings a little."

"I bet it does, that's a bad periorbital hematoma."

Penny shyly extended her hand towards him, and holding her hand in his, he wiped the final patches of dried blood away.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Leonard placed his hands on her waist and drew her close, pressing his lips against hers. "You're welcome."

She scooted closer to him, leaning deeper into the kiss, her arms sliding around his neck, until their noses collided and she pulled back.

"Ow!" She pouted playfully at Leonard. "No making out for a while."

He smirked."At least with you anyway," and he raised his hands in surrender as Penny elbowed him, "I'm only kidding." His tone softened as he looked adoringly at her. "I love you Penny, you're the only person I ever want to make out with."

Penny smiled back at him. "I love you too."

Sheldon climbed the stairs, sighing as he heard laughing from inside the apartment. "It is after 10pm, I hope there will not be celebratory gunfire," he muttered to himself.

He opened the door to find Leonard sitting on the couch and Penny lying with her head in his lap, her feet resting on his spot.

"Penny," he said exasperatedly, "Your feet are in my spot." She didn't avert her gaze from the TV.

"Sheldon, my whole face hurts. Bite me."

Leonard grinned at him and rubbed her shoulder. Sheldon glared back at her. "Are you injured?"

She rolled her eyes, "No, Sheldon, the bandage on my nose is a fashion statement."

Leonard sat up in his seat, "Are you planning on staying? I thought you had plans with Amy?"

"Yes, as per the relationship agreement, it is the third Thursday of the month, and therefore we are going to dinner. I just needed to drop off my bag."

He stepped back towards the door. "Farewell Dr Hofstadter. Penny get your feet out off my spot."

Penny reached behind her head and flung the cushion at the door, just as it swung shut behind Sheldon. Leonard smiled and laced his fingers through hers, "That's my girl."

"So what did you think of the Steven Hawking documentary?" Leonard asked, as Penny cuddled closer to him.

Penny nodded, "I didn't get most of it, partly because I think I'm a bit concussed and physics is just really hard, oh, and your explanation of the holographic principle was much better. That may have been down to your sexy black underwear though..."

He grinned. "So,' he said cheerfully, 'what do you want to do now?"

Before she could answer, he placed his hands on her hips and started to kiss her neck. She eagerly wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Well, I was going to suggest Sex in the City 2," she said, shuddering when he traced his lips across her collarbone, "but I've already seen it so..." Her voice trailed off and she kissed him back, her lips moving softly against his. With their arms wrapped around each other, they slid further down the couch until they were both lying on their sides, slightly breathless. Leonard suddenly started to smile at her.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Remember the time we had sex in the ocean?"

"Yeah, what's your point?"

"Oh there wasn't one, I was just remembering with great...fondness."

She rolled her eyes playfully, "I'm going to start calling you Dr Dirty-Mind for your eidetic sexual memory."

He laughed, his body shaking against hers. "Remind me to change that on my resume. I'll replace 'keen scientific mind' with 'eidetic sexual memory."

Penny laughed with him, and he pulled her closer to him. "Do you feel ok now?" he asked softly.

"A little bit, I'm glad I came here rather than the emergency room."

He trailed his hand down her arm and down the soft curve of her waist,"Me too."

She sighed contentedly and looked up at him. "Can I stay here tonight?"

"Sure, just be prepared to sign the novel of paperwork to satisfy Sheldon. I hope you have evidence of a recent and accredited qualification in CPR."

Penny groaned and slowly sat up. "If we go to bed now, can we avoid him?"

Leonard shook his head, "Past experience tells me no, but it's worth a shot."

They both stood up, and Leonard frowned as he saw Penny reach unsteadily for the arm of the couch.

"I feel dizzy," she explained.

He held her hand tightly and walked her towards his bedroom, opening the door before her. She stopped in the door way, clutching at the frame as she took a few breaths to steady herself before sitting down on the bed.

Kneeling down beside her, Leonard put his hand on hers. "Penny, you look really pale. Are you sure you don't want to go to the emergency room?"

"No, I'm fine," she replied unconvincingly. "Can you help me get undressed? I don't want to ruin your handiwork," she said gesturing to the bandage.

Bunching her t-shirt in his hand, Leonard pushed it up over her stomach, trying not to get too distracted as he revealed her lacy black bra. Gently easing the material over her head, he took care to avoid her bruised face and passed her his Caltech t-shirt, which he helped her pull on.

Penny kicked off her jeans and gave an imperceptible smile as she caught Leonard gazing at her shapely legs for just a second too long.

They climbed into bed, and Penny pressed her back against Leonard's warm body, and felt his knees tucked behind hers. He draped his arm over her, his fingers resting on her stomach.

"I love you Penny," he whispered.

She smiled into the dark room, "I love you too, Leonard."


End file.
